6 wrestlers seeded No. 1 for region favorite Lions
The signs have been there. Red Bank High School’s wrestling program didn’t just burst from a phone booth on its way to the Class A/AA state duals championship.
Those in the know have watched Lions coach Shane Turner mold a group of youngsters — many as freshmen — into a battle-tested team that dispatched both Alcoa and defending champion Pigeon Forge last week in Franklin.
So it was no surprise Tuesday afternoon when Garrick Hall, coach of defending champion and perennial kingpin Hixson, all but laid the Region 2-A/AA championship at Red Bank’s doorstep.
“They’re the team to beat,” Hall said.
Still, Red Bank will have to prove it — going after its first region title in close to two decades — in the two-day traditional tournament Friday and Saturday at Hixson Middle School.
The 14-team field will commence wrestling at 6 p.m. Friday, with quarterfinals and first-round consolations before the day’s competition ends. Wrestling resumes at 9 a.m. Saturday, with championship and consolation finals scheduled for 3 p.m. Admission is $7 for adults, with children 9 and younger admitted free.
The top four finishers in each weight class advance to the state tournament Feb. 19-20 at the Williamson County Agricultural Expo in Franklin.
The region’s 106-pound qualifiers already are determined. Barring disqualification, Notre Dame’s Jeremy Holloway, Hixson’s Rylie Hart, Red Bank’s Zack Gee and Signal Mountain’s Isaac Tate will advance as the region’s only four wrestlers in their weight class, but their order is to be determined.
Holloway was one of two Notre Dame wrestlers accorded top seeds, joining Luke Mullin (126). Hixson also has two No. 1 seeds — Isaac Yates (132) and Dylan Bargerstock (182).
There was one top- seeded wrestler each for Boyd-Buchanan (Zane Williams, 160), Central (Alonzo Heyward, 152), East Ridge (Kayshawn Cosey, 120) and Signal Mountain (Daniel Dawson, 138).
The six remaining No. 1 seeds went to Red Bank: William Reichel (113), Gabe McDuffie (145), David Johnson (170), Devin Crawl (195), Devon Suddeth (220) and Anthony Ottinger (285).
“We’re supposed to qualify 14, according to the seeds for the state,” Turner said. “It doesn’t mean it will be a cake walk. There are no cake walks in this region. There are a lot of talented wrestlers and a lot of talented coaches.”
And there is balance, which Turner is determined his wrestlers won’t take lightly.
“Each program has wrestlers that are capable of going out and winning state championships,” Turner said. “Five of the top seven teams from last year’s tournament were from this region.”
The Red Bank coach has emphasized to his wrestlers that they have the chance to do something positive for their school and their community. “These kids have another opportunity to do something special,” he said. “They’ve put the work in. All we can do now is see what happens.”